Bag with absorbent pad

ABSTRACT

A bag ( 101 ) for food products comprises a front panel ( 103 ) and a back panel ( 105 ) attached to define an open top ( 107 ) and a closed bottom ( 111 ). An absorbent pad ( 119 ) is attached to the back panel at a bottom portion ( 121 ) of the pad. The upper portion ( 123 ) of the pad is unattached to the bag. An air jet ( 505 ) of a bagging machine rotates the upper portion of the pad about a hinge portion ( 509 ) of the pad. The pad is secured by an inserted food product so that the pad covers the bottom and a portion of the front panel of the bag. The absorbent pad absorbs juices exuded by the food product and improves the esthetic qualities of the packaging. The attachment method reduces the thickness and bulk of the bag in the lay-flat condition as compared to conventional bags with a folded absorbent pad attached to the front and back panels of the bag.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to bags with absorbent pads and, more particularly, to fluid-impermeable bags with absorbent pads for fresh food products such as poultry, meat, fish and produce.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Absorbent pads for use with food bags have been available for consumer use for some time. Absorbent pads are especially useful for poultry, meat, fish and produce packaging to absorb juices emanating from the product during packaging, shipping, storage or product display. The absorption of juices improves the esthetic appearance of the packaged food product and reduces possibility of spillage of juices when opening the packaging or if the package is damaged. The shelf life of the product is improved by removal of excess fluids that can harbor bacteria.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,997 discloses a receptacle for containing and displaying food products that tend to exude juices or liquids. The receptacle may be in the form of a tray or transparent plastic bag. An absorbent pad is placed in the bag for absorbing juices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,908 discloses a bag for packing and displaying meal or poultry having a fold line at the bottom of the bag. An absorbent pad, having a non-stick layer, is positioned near at the bottom of the bag and attached at the front and back panels of the bag. The pad attachments secure the pad so that the pad covers a portion of the back panel, the bottom of the bag, and at least a portion of the front panel of the bag.

[0004] While bags with absorbent pads have esthetic advantages over food bags without absorbent pads, they suffer from several disadvantages, including higher cost. One of the biggest disadvantages is an increase in bulk or thickness of the bag due to insertion of the absorbent pad. Covering both the back and bottom of the bag is important in order to absorb juices when the bag is laying on the back panel or, alternatively, upright or reclined. Such a feature requires multiple pads or a “folded” pad in the “lay-flat” condition attached to the front panel and the back panel of the bag and extending over the bottom of the bag. The folded absorbent pad results in a double thickness and substantially increases the thickness and bulk of a stack of bags. A stack or wicket of such bags tends to “fan out”, reducing the number of bags that can be practically utilized in a stack or wicket. The increased bulk increases shipping costs, storage costs, and packaging machine downtime due to increased frequency of bag wicket replacement.

[0005] An improved bag is needed which addresses the limitations of current food bags with absorbent pads.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a food bag for use with poultry, meat and fish which provides an absorbent pad capable of covering the back panel, bottom, and optionally, at least part of the front panel which is lower in bulk as compared to conventional bags with absorbent pads.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a food bag for use with poultry, meat, fish and produce that does not use a folded absorbent pad in the lay-flat condition.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a food bag for use with poultry, meat, fish and produce in which the absorbent pad is attached at only one end of the pad, reducing manufacturing time and cost of the bag.

[0009] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a food bag for use with poultry, meat, fish and produce that utilizes super-absorbent polymers or gums in order to increase the absorption capacity of the absorbent pad, or alternatively, further reduce the bulk of the bag assembly.

[0010] The bag of the present invention comprises a front panel and a back panel attached to form a bag with an open top and a closed bottom. The bottom portion of the absorbent pad is attached to the back panel at an attachment portion by an attachment means such as a heat seal or adhesive strip. The top portion of the pad remains unattached to the back panel and lies flat against the back panel without folds when the bag is in the lay-flat condition. By leaving the top portion of the absorbent bag unattached to the back panel, an air jet positioned at the open end of the bag will blow the top portion of the absorbent pad away from the back panel and rotate the top portion of the absorbent pad about a hinge portion (normally the attachment portion) of the pad. The rotation of the top portion of the pad about the attachment portion defines a “deployed” condition of the bag. The product, when inserted, secures the rotated pad against the bottom and, optionally, a portion of the front panel of the bag.

[0011] In other embodiments, the attachment portion comprises a joint or reduced-thickness portion that acts as the hinge portion for the bag. In still other embodiments, the bottom portion or the entire pad is made to have sufficient flexibility so that the top portion hinges about the attachment portion. In the preferred embodiments, the absorbent pad is positioned sufficiently near the bottom of the bag so that the distance from the bottom of the absorbent pad to the bottom of the bag is less than the length of the absorbent pad. This positioning of the pad in the bag ensures that the absorbent pad will cover the bottom of the bag and, optionally, a portion of the front panel of the bag when the bag is in the deployed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a bag with absorbent pad showing the bag with a front panel, a back panel, an open top and a closed bottom, and an absorbent pad attached to the inside of the back panel, the absorbent pad shown in broken lines;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a side cross section of the bag of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 2, the bag shown in a lay-flat condition;

[0015]FIG. 3 is an end cross section of the bag of FIG. 1 taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

[0016]FIG. 4 is an end cross section of the bag of FIG. 1 taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

[0017]FIG. 5A is side cross section of the bag of FIG. 1 in a lay-flat condition and supported by a wicket of a bagging machine, the wicket, adjacent bag and air jet shown in phantom lines;

[0018]FIG. 5B is a side cross section of the bag of FIG. 1 showing the top portion of the pad partially rotated about the hinge portion of the pad by the air jet so that the absorbent pad is engageable by a product inserted into the bag and to define a partially-deployed position of the bag;

[0019]FIG. 5C is a side cross section of the bag of FIG. 1 showing the top portion of the pad engaged by the product inserted into the bag, the product insertion further rotating the pad about the hinge portion of the pad;

[0020]FIG. 5D is a side cross section of the bag of FIG. 1 showing the top portion of the pad rotated about the hinge portion of the pad and secured by the product against the bottom and a portion of the front of the bag to define a fully deployed condition of the bag;

[0021]FIG. 6 is a front perspective drawing of the absorbent pad of FIG. 1;

[0022]FIG. 7 is a side cross section view of the absorbent pad taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

[0023]FIG. 8A is a detail cross-section of an embodiment of the attachment portion of the absorbent pad utilizing a flexible attachment strip to attach the absorbent pad the back panel; and

[0024]FIG. 8B is a detail cross-section of an embodiment of the attachment portion of the absorbent pad having a reduced-thickness portion forming a hinge portion of the pad.

[0025]FIG. 9 is a cross-section of an embodiment of the present invention with the bottom portion of the absorbent pad attached to the front panel of the bag.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The following is a description of the preferred embodiments of a food bag for use with poultry, meat, fish and produce that provides an absorbent pad capable of covering the back panel, bottom and, optionally, at least part of the front panel.

[0027]FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of an impermeable bag such as plastic bag 101. Bag 101 comprises a front panel 103 and a back panel 105 connected at side edges 113A and 113B and bottom edge 109 to define an open top 107 and a closed bottom (111 of FIG. 2). In the preferred embodiments, bag 101 is a side-sealed bag comprising a folded bottom (112 of FIG. 2) and heat-sealed at side edges 113A and 113B. In the preferred embodiments, bag 101 is made from a thermoplastic film or web such as a polyolefin. In the more preferred embodiments, bag 101 is made from extruded polyethylene film. In other embodiments, bag 101 is a bottom-sealed bag, gusseted bag or other bags known in the art. In the preferred embodiments, the panel material is impermeable by liquids, making the bag suitable for food products including poultry, meat and fish.

[0028] In the preferred embodiments, bag 101 comprises an extended back panel defining a lip portion 115. Lip portion 115 provides space for support apertures such as wicket holes 117. Wicket holes support bag 101 from wickets (503 of FIG. 5A). An absorbent pad 119 is attached to the back panel 105 at bottom pad portion 121. Top pad portion 123 is not attached to bag 101 for reasons that will be discussed in the following figures.

[0029] In the preferred embodiments, bag 101 is a food bag used for poultry, meat or fish. Absorbent pad 119 absorbs liquids such as juices exuded from the product during bagging, shipping, storage and display. In the preferred embodiments, curved bottom corners 125 provide an improved fit for food products such as poultry.

[0030]FIG. 2 is a side cross section of bag 101 taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1. A pad fastener such as pad heat-seal or weld 201 attaches pad 119 to back panel 105 at attachment portion 120 of bottom pad portion 121. Top pad portion 123 is unattached to bag 101 and lies flat against back panel 105 and/or front panel 103 when bag 101 is in a “lay-flat” position as shown in the figure. In this manner, the thickness 203 of bag 101 is less than conventional food bags with absorbent pads comprising folds and attached to both the front and back panels.

[0031]FIG. 3 is a cross section of bag 101 taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2. Top pad portion 123 of absorbent pad 119 is unattached to bag 101 and lays against back panel 105 in the lay-flat condition as shown. In the embodiment shown, side edges 113A and 113B of bag 101 are heat-sealed.

[0032]FIG. 4 is a cross section of bag 101 taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2. Attachment portion 120 of bottom portion 121 is welded or heat-sealed along pad weld 201. In other embodiments, adhesives are used instead of pad weld 201.

[0033] FIGS. 5A-5D are side cross sections of bag 101 during a bagging operation. In FIG. 5A, bag 101 is in a lay-flat condition with lip portion 115 supported on prongs 502 of wicket 503. Wicket 503 may support additional bags 10A in a wicketed stack of bags, for example in an automatic bagging machine. Absorbent pad 119 is welded to back panel 105 at attachment portion 120. The absorption or product side 504 of absorbent pad 119 faces toward back panel 105 of bag 101.

[0034] In FIG. 5B, air nozzle 505 blows front panel 103 in an open position as shown in the figure. The air jet from nozzle 505 also blows unattached top pad portion 123 away from back panel 105 and against open front panel 103. Top pad portion 123 rotates about attachment point 120 and defines a hinge portion 509 of absorbent pad 119. In this partially-deployed condition, product side 504 of top portion 123 of absorbent bag 119 is engageable by food product 507 as it is inserted into opened top portion 107A.

[0035]FIG. 5C shows top pad portion 123 further rotated about attachment portion 120 as product 507, engaging product side 504 of top portion 123, is inserted in bag 101.

[0036]FIG. 5D shows top bag portion 123 fully rotated or hinged about hinge portion 509 and absorbent pad 119 secured against back panel 105, closed bottom 109 and, optionally, at least a portion of front panel 103 by food product 507. In the preferred embodiments, hinge portion 509 defines approximately a 180 degree rotation or fold in the bottom pad portion so that the non-product side 506 of pad 119 faces and, is against, back panel 105, closed bottom 109 and front panel 103. Bag opening 107A is sealed by sealing the top of front panel 103 to back panel 105 by top seal weld 513.

[0037]FIG. 6 is a perspective drawing of a preferred embodiment of absorbent pad 119 showing pad front panel 601, pad back panel 603, edge portions 604 and absorbent portion 602. In the preferred embodiments, pad front panel 601 is the product side (504 of FIG. 5A) when pad 119 is attached to back panel 105 of bag 101. FIG. 7 is a side cross section of pad 119 taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6. In the preferred embodiments, pad front panel 601 and pad back panel 603 are made of thermoplastic film such as a polyolefin, welded or heat sealed at edges 605 to define an interior chamber 606. Liquid absorbing webs 607A and 607B are sandwiched between front panel 601 and back panel 603 inside chamber 606.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, webs 607A and 607B are natural or synthetic fibrous webs capable of absorbing fluids. In alternative embodiments, webs 607A and 607B are non-fibrous webs that utilize capillary action between the webs to absorb fluids. In the preferred embodiments, perforations 609 in pad front panel 601 allow fluid to pass through front panel 601 and be absorbed in webs 607A and 607B. In other embodiments, back panel 603 is perforated. In the preferred embodiments the panel facing the food product in the deployed position (product side 504) should be of a “non-sticking” surface such as polyethylene.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, absorbent material such as super absorbent polymer (SAP) particles 611 are dispersed within interior chamber 606. SAS particles 611 may be contained loose within chamber 606, or dispersed between or within layers of absorbent webs such as webs 607A and 607B.

[0040]FIGS. 8A and 8B are detail cross sections of alternative embodiments of the attachment of absorbent pad 119 of FIG. 5A. In FIG. 8A, a flexible strip such as adhesive strip 801 attaches edge portion 604 of absorbent pad 119 to back panel 105 of bag 101. In a similar embodiment, adhesive strip 801 is a thermoplastic strip and is heat-sealed to edge portion 604 and back panel 105. The embodiment of FIG. 8B shows edge portion 604A of absorbent pad 119A heat-sealed directly to back panel 105 at weld 805. In the lay-flat condition, the product side 504 of pad 119 faces bag 101 back panel 105.

[0041] In the embodiment of FIG. 8A, adhesive strip 801 may provide the hinge portion if the strip is selected to be of a flexible material. In other embodiments, edge portion 604 provides the hinge portion since edge portion is of a thin cross section and, if selected, of a flexible material. In the embodiment of FIG. 8B, the hinge portion may likewise be provided by edge portion 604A, or a reduced thickness section 807 of absorbent pad 119A may provide the hinge portion. Reduced thickness section 807 may be provided by heat sealing pad front panel 601 and pad back panel 603 in a strip as shown in the figure, or it may be provided by stitching or other means.

[0042] In still other embodiments, absorbent pad 119 may comprise one or more webs such as webs 607A and 607B without front and/or back panels.

[0043] In yet another embodiment, hinge portion 509 of FIG. 5D may be provided by a sufficiently flexible bottom pad portion which allows separation of the top pad portion from the back panel by a reasonably low rotating force about the upper pad portion, such as would be provided by airjet 505 of FIG. 5A, and 180 degree rotation about the hinge portion by product insertion.

[0044] In the preferred embodiments, absorbent pad 119 of FIG. 2 is attached to back panel 105 so that the distance 207 from pad bottom edge 205 of absorbent pad 119 to closed bottom 111 is less than the length of the absorbent pad defined by distance 209 between pad top edge 211 and pad bottom edge 205. Attaching absorbent pad 119 in this manner provides overlap of pad 119 over closed bottom 111 and at least part of front panel 103 when pad 119 is in a fully deployed condition as shown in FIG. 5D. In the preferred embodiments, distance 207 and absorbent pad length 209 are chosen to provide overlap of absorbent pad 119 over front panel 103 to a point just below the top 129 of lower printed area 131 of FIG. 1. Such mounting assures absorbent pad 119 is hidden from view by the product and printed area 131.

[0045] Since the product side 504 of the absorbent pad is normally a perforated side, the product side must face back panel 105 when the bag is in the lay-flat condition (FIG. 5A). This positioning of the pad is opposite that of conventional bags with absorbent pads attached to the front and back panels in the lay-flat condition.

[0046]FIG. 9 is a side elevation cross section of an embodiment of bag 901 having absorbent pad 119 attached to front panel 103 at weld 903. Top pad portion 123 is unattached to front panel 103. In the lay-flat condition as shown, the product side 405 faces front panel 103 and non-product side 506 faces back panel 105. Air jet 505 begins transforming the bag to a deployed condition by blowing top pad portion 123 away from front panel 103 and rotating upper portion 123 counterclockwise about attachment portion 120. In other respects, the deployment process is similar to that shown in FIG. 5A-FIG. 5D.

[0047] Accordingly, the reader will see that the bag with absorbent pad of the present invention absorbs liquids exuded from food products along the back, bottom and front portions of the bag. The device provides the following additional advantages:

[0048] The bag has reduced bulk as compared to conventional food bags with absorbent pads when in the lay-flat condition, reducing packaging, shipping and storage costs;

[0049] The bag has only one attachment point, speeding manufacturing and reducing cost; and

[0050] More bags can be attached to wickets, reducing wicket change time during bagging operations.

[0051] Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. 

I claim:
 1. A bag for food products comprising: a front panel and a back panel attached to define an open top and a closed bottom; and an absorbent pad disposed inside the bag and comprising a top pad portion unattached to the bag and adjacent to the open top when the bag is in a lay-flat condition, and a bottom pad portion attached to an inside surface of the back panel such that a first distance between a bottom edge of the absorbent bag and the closed bottom of the bag is less than a second distance between a top edge of the absorbent bag and the bottom edge of the absorbent pad when the bag is in a lay-flat condition.
 2. The bag of claim 1 wherein the absorbent pad comprises a hinge portion to define a deployed condition wherein the top pad portion of the absorbent pad is rotated about the hinge portion so that the absorbent pad covers the closed bottom.
 3. The bag of claim 2 wherein the absorbent pad covers at least a portion of the front panel in the deployed condition.
 4. The bag of claim 2 wherein the absorbent pad comprises a product side which faces the back panel of the bag in the lay-flat condition and faces a food product insertable in the bag when the bag is in the deployed condition.
 5. The bag of claim 4 wherein the product side is a perforated panel.
 6. The bag of claim 5 wherein the product side is a non-stick panel
 7. The bag of claim 1 wherein the absorbent pad comprises a super absorbent polymer.
 8. The bag of claim 2 wherein the hinge portion comprises a flexible strip attaching the bottom portion of the absorbent pad to the back panel of the bag.
 9. The bag of claim 2 wherein the hinge portion is an adhesive strip attaching the bottom portion of the absorbent pad to the back panel of the bag.
 10. The bag of claim 2 wherein the hinge portion is a reduced-thickness portion of the absorbent pad.
 11. The bag of claim 10 wherein the reduced-thickness portion is an edge portion of the absorbent pad.
 12. A bag for food products comprising: a front panel and a back panel attached to define an open top and a closed bottom; an absorbent pad disposed inside the bag, the absorbent pad comprising a top pad portion adjacent to the open top and a bottom pad portion adjacent to the closed bottom when the bag is in a lay-flat condition; a pad fastener fastening the bottom pad portion to an inside surface of the back panel; and an absorbent pad hinge portion, the hinge portion comprising sufficient flexibility to define a deployed condition of the bag wherein the top pad portion rotates about the hinge portion and the absorbent pad covers the closed bottom.
 13. The bag of claim 12 wherein the absorbent pad covers at least a portion of the front panel in the deployed condition.
 14. The bag of claim 12 wherein the pad fastener comprises a weld between the bottom pad portion and the back panel.
 15. The bag of claim 12 wherein the pad fastener comprises an adhesive attaching the bottom pad portion to the back panel.
 16. The bag of claim 12 wherein the pad fastener comprises an adhesive strip attaching the bottom pad portion to the back panel.
 17. The bag of claim 12 wherein the hinge portion comprises a reduced-thickness portion of the absorbent pad.
 18. The bag of claim 12 wherein the hinge portion comprises a bottom edge portion of the absorbent pad.
 19. The bag of claim 12 wherein the hinge portion comprises a flexible strip attaching the bottom portion of the absorbent pad to the back panel.
 20. A bag for food products comprising: a front panel and a back panel attached to define an open top and a closed bottom; an absorbent pad disposed inside the bag, the absorbent pad comprising a top pad portion adjacent to the open top and a bottom pad portion adjacent to the closed bottom when the bag is in a lay-flat condition; a pad fastener fastening the bottom pad portion to an inside surface of the front panel; and an absorbent pad hinge portion, the hinge portion comprising sufficient flexibility to define a deployed condition of the bag wherein the top pad portion rotates about the hinge portion and the absorbent pad covers the closed bottom. 